Wood block flooring



Jan. 26, 1932. FETZ 7 1,843,024

WOOD BLOCK FLOORING Filed May 19, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 26, 2932. w T 1,843,024

WOOD BLOCK FLOORING Filed May 19, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 manta Patented Jan. 26, 1932- um'rao STATES PATENT OFFICE WERNER FEIZ, OF WATKRBUBY, COKNEGIICU'I, ASSIG-HOE T E. L. BRUCE COMPANY, OF IEIIPHIS, TENNESSEE, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE WOOD BLOCK FLOORING- Application filed Kay 19, 1989. Serial Ho. 453,702.

My invention relates to wood block flooring and the like and has particularly in view the production of a block that has two integral 1 tongues and two grooves and that is adapted to be used in a floor panel.

In the laying of two-tongue, two-groove blocks, there are various reasons why only one face of the block can be selected to be laid uppermost. For instance, if the block is made of flooring strips, the underside is provided with hollow backs. Then again if the block is made of strips of wood, they are graded so' that the best faces of the strips are all on one side of the block. Sometimes, too, the tongues and grooves are not center matched but are nearer the back than the face of the strip. For these and other reasons, only one side of the block is available as the face.

In Patent Number 1,778,089, dated October 14, 1930, and of which this application is a continuation in part, I have disclosed three types of two-tongue, two-groove blocks that can be laid in accordance with that invention.

The invention of this application relates to the type of two-tongue, two-groove blocks that are referred to in my aforesaid patent as right hand and left hand blocks.

In laying a floor or similar panel with blocks of this type, where the grain of the woodin some of the blocks is at right angles to the grain of the wood in some of the other blocks, there must be provided what are designated herein as right and left hand blocks. There are also various arrangements of blocks having two integral tongues and two grooves, that are feasible only with right and left hand blocks.

Referring to the drawings for a more complete disclosure of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view showing one ofthe relative positions of right and lleft lgand square blocks when laid in a floor P 7 Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a block looking in the direction of 22 of 1,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a block looking in the direction of 3-3 of Fig. 1, I

Fig. 4 shows four views respectively of right and left hand blocks in characteristic positions, a

ing a metal spline 7 forced into the Fig. 5 shows right and left blocks in 2. her ring bone pattern,

Fig.6 shows right and left blocks in a basket weave pattern, and

Fig. 7 shows right and left blocks in staggered arrangement. a

in the manufacture of the blocks, I may use short strips of flooring 2 with the grain running lengthwise and having a groove 13 along one longitudinal edge into which fits the integral tongue 14 along the opposite edge of the adjacent strip. I

The underside of the flooring strips are provided with the customary hollowback 20 and there is the customary clearance or relief 21 between the strips.

Before or after assembling the pieces to form the block, I cut a groove 5 on oneend of each piece and on the other end I cut a tongue 6. The strips are then assembled and are securely held together to form a unitary block by any suitable means, that shown hegroove 8 running transversely of the bottom of the block and as fully described and claimed in the patent of C. W. Allen, Number 1,808,623 granted June 2, 1931.

When the fabricated block is assembled there is a groove 9 running lengthwise of v the grain of the block and a groove 10 running crosswise of the grain. There is also a to e 11 running lengthwise of the grain of the block and a tongue 12 running crosswise of the grain.

To determine Whether a block isa right or a left hand block, the observer should place it with the longitudinal groove 9 toward him. If the transverse tongue 12 is on the left side, it is a left hand block and if it is onthe right side, it is a right hand block.

The blocks may be laid in position on the sub-floor by means of a plastic cement, in which case it is not necessary to nail the blocks in position. Some of the advantages of this type of block are that by using solid tongues instead of slip tongues, the block is more rigidly held in the floor and the blocks are more firmly tied together. By using an integral tongue instead of the slip tongue, the squeaking area of the floor is reduced. The squeakin area; is in direct proportion to'the mova le surfaces "which are in contact with each other. By substituting a solid tongue for a movable one, the movable contacting Surfaces are considerably diminished. Each block in the panel, being unsecured to the adjacent blocks, is free to move relative thereto. The tendency of such relative movement, due particularly to expansion and contraction on account of moisture absorption by the wood, is always present. n y

In Fig. l, the right hand blocks are marked R and the left hand blocks are marked L. When laid as shown in Fig. 1, it will be noted that from top to bottom there are alternate horizontal rows of right hand and left hand blocks.

When laying a 'anel of integral twotongue two-groove h ocks in the patterns as shown in Figs. 5, 5 and 7 it becomes necessary to use right and left hand blocks in order to ut the panel together.

n the-panel arrangement shown in Fig. 1, it will be seen that there are alternate horizontal rows of right and left square blocks and that each left block will be interlocked at two sides with other left blocks and at the other sides with right blocks and that each right block will be interlocked at two sides with right blocks and at theother two sides with left blocks. Furthermore, each left block is diagonally interlocked with right blocks and each right block is diagonally interlocked with'left blocks.

' In the herringbone design shown in Fig. 5, each right block will be interlocked at its ends with left blocks and at its sides with a right and left block. Furthermore, each right block will be interlocked at its sides and ends with four left blocks and each left block will be interlocked at its sides and ends with four right blocks, each "right block being di- In the basket weave design shown in Fig.

6, two types of blocks are disclosed, a square right block and a rectangular left block. The right blocks interlock at the sides and ends of the left block and each left block is diagonally interlocked with other left blocks.

In the staggered arrangement shown in Fig. 7, there are alternate rows of right and left blocks in which the direction of the strips are at right angles to each other respectively.

Each right block is interlocked on two of its sides with right blocks and on its other sides by a right and left block. Each left block is interlocked on two of its sides with. right blocks and on its other sides by a right and left block. 1- I am aware that the invention ma be embodied in other specific forms wit out departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the'present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being bad to the appended claims rather than 'to the foregoing description to indicate the blocks being only right handed andsome only left handed, the tongues and grooves of ad, jacent blocks interfitting.

.- 2. A panel made of blocks composed of a plurality of strips of wood, with the grain running lengthwise of the strips, and having two tongues and two grooves at an angle to and adjacent each other respectively, some of the blocks being only right handed and some only left handed, the tongues and grooves of adjacent blocks interfitting and the grain of the wood in some of the blocks being at an angle to the grain of the wood in some of the other blocks.

3. A panel made of blocks having two tonguesand two grooves at an angle to and adjacent each other respectively, some of the blocks being right handed and some left handed, the blocks being irreversible as to face and back and laid. in an alternate ar rangement of rights and lefts, the tongues and grooves of adjacent blocks interfittingl 4. A panel made of, blocks composed of a plurality of strips of wood with the grain running lengthwise of the strips and having two tongues and two grooves at an angle to and adjacent each other respectively, some of the blocks being right handedand some rangement of rights andlefts, the tongues and grooves of adjacent blocks interfitting,

the grain of the wood in some of the blocks being at an angle to the grain of the wood in some of theother'bloc 5. A panelmade of blocks composed of a plurality of wood flooring strips that are provided with a tongue on one longitudinal edge of the strip and a groove onthe other longi tudinal edge of the strip and with the grain running lengthwise of the strips, means for holding the strips in assembled relationship with the tongues and grooves of adjacent strips interengaging, the said blocks having two integral tongues and two grooves adjacent each other re ectively, some of the blocks being only le handed and someonly right handed, the grain of the wood in some of the blocks being at'an angle to the grain of the wood in some of the other blocks.

.6. A panel made of blocks that are irreversible as to face and back and having twotongues and two grooves at an angle'to and adjacent each other respectively, some of the iso.

. provided with a tongue extendin other, some of the b ocks naeaoaa.

handed, the adjacent tongues meeting at ri ht angles to each other, the blocks being lai in an alternate arrangement of rights and lofts, the tongues and grooves of a jacent blocks interfitting.

7. A panel made of blocks that are irreversihle as to face and back and having two tongues and two grooves at an angle to and adjacent each other respectively, .the adjacent tongues meetin at rigiit angles to each ing left handed and some right handed.

8. A panel made of blocks, hollow backs on the underside of the blocks, the said blocks having two tongues and two grooves adjacent each other respectively, some of the blocks being left handed and some right handed.

9. A parquette flooring comprising an alternate arrangement of right and left composite parquette blocks in which right blocks have tongues ofthe same length as the width and length of the face of the block respectively and extendin along one end and down the right side of the block, and left blocks have tongues of the same length as the width and length of the face of the block respectively and extendin along one end and down the left side of the lock, and in which each block has interlocking engagement at two diagonally opposed corners with diagonally arranged blocks.

10. The art of laying arquetry flooring which consists in forming locks of pieces of flooring provided with a tongue extending along one end widthwise of each block and along the right side lengthwise of each blodk, forming other blocks of pieces of flooring provided with a tongue extending alon one end widthwise of each block and provided with a tongue extending along the left side lengthwise of each block, and laying the blocks in an alternate arrangement of rights and lefts in which each right block is interlocked at its sides and ends with four left blocks and each left block is interlocked at its sides and ends with tour right blocks, and in which each right block is diagonally interlocked with two right blocks and each left block is diagonally interlocked with two left blocks.

11. The art of laying parquetry flooring which consists in forming blocks of pieces of flooring provided with a tongue extending along one end widthwise of each block and provided with a tongue extending along the right side lengthwise of each block, forming other blocks of pieces of flooring provided tongue extending along the left side lengthwise of each block,-and laying the blocks in i an alternate arran ement of rights and lefts I in which each right block is interlocked at its sides and ends with four left blocks and each left block is interlocked at its sides and ends with four ri ht blocks, and in which each right block as interlocking engagement at two opposed corners with two diagonally positioned right blocks and each left block is interlocked at two opposed corners with two diagonally positioned left blocks.

12. A. panel made of square blocks having two tongues and two grooves at an angle to and adjacent each other respectively, some of the blocks beingionly right handed and some only left handed, the blocks being laid in an alternate arrangement of rights and lofts in which each right handed block is interlocked on two of its sides with right handed blocks and each left handed block is interlocked on two of its sides with left handed blocks 13. A panel made of square blocks having two tongues and two grooves at an angle to and adjacent each other respectively, some of the blocks being only right handed and some only left handed, the blocks being laid in an alternate arrangement of rights and lefts in which each right handed block is interlocked on two of its sides with right handed blocks and the other two sides with left handed blocks and each left handed block is interlocked on two of its sides with left handed blocks and the other two sides with right handed blocks.

15. A. panel made of rectangular blocks composed of a plurality of strips of wood and having two tongues and two grooves at an angle to and ad acent each other respectively, some of the blocks being only right handed and some only left handed, the blocks being twice as long as they are wide and laid in an alternate arrangement of lofts and rights to produce a herring bone design, in w ich the long side of a right handed block is interlocked with the short side of a left handed block and a portion of thelong side of a right handed block and the long side of a left handed block is interlocked with the short side of a right handed block and a portion of the long side of a left handed block.

16. A panel made of square blocks which are composed of a plurality of strips of wood with the grain running lengthwise of the strips, a groove along one of the ed es of the block, another groove along the ot er adjacent edge of the block, integral tongues along each of the other two adjacent edges of the block, some of the blocks being left handed and some right handed, the blocks being laid in an alternate arrangement of rights and lefts, the direction of the grain of some of the blocks being at an angle to the grain of with the grain run'ning len thwise of the strips, a groove along one of t e ed es of the 4 some of the other blocks, the'ton'gues and grooves of adjacent blocks interfitting.

17 A panel made of square blocks which are composed of a plurality of stri s of wood block, another groove along the .ot ier adjacent edge of the block, integral tongues along each of the other two adjacent ed es of the block, some of the blocks being le handed and some right handed, the blocks being laid in an alternate arrangement of rights and lefts, in which each right block is interlocked on two of its sides with other right blocks and on two of its other sides with left blocks, and in which each left block is interlocked on two of its sides with other left blocks and on two of its other sides-with right blocks, the direction of the grain of some ofthe adjacent blocks being at an angle to the grain of some of the other blocks, the tongues and grooves of adjacent blocks interfitting.

18. The art of laying parquetry flooring which consists in forming blocks, having two tongues and two grooves adjacent eachother respectively, from strips of wood flooring with the grain running lengthwlse of the strips, the said blocks having one tongue ex- 7 tending crosswise of the strips and the other tongue extending along the right side of the block lengthwise of the strips, forming other blocks of similar strips of flooring and provided with one tongue extending crosswise of the strips and the other tongue extending along the left side of the block lengthwise of the strips and laying the blocks in an alternate arrangement of rights and lofts, in which the tongues and grooves of adjacent blocksare interlocked, the grain of the woodin some of the blocks being at an angle tothe gram of the wood in some of the other blocks.

WERNER FETZ. 

